Local college: WMU looks to keep rowing vs. Miami (OH)

Miami (Ohio) quarterback Andrew Hendrix and the Redhawks host Western Michigan on Saturday. Hendrix played four seasons at Notre Dame before graduating and transferring to Miami.
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Martin was the head coach at Grand Valley State University before he spent the last four years at Notre Dame as its offensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. Hendrix transferred to Miami after graduating from Notre Dame, where he threw for 360 yards and a score while rushing for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

“They got a quarterback that I think is maybe the best in the league at quarterback, in terms of he makes a ton of plays, throws for a ton of yards. They’ve done a lot of scrambling,” said WMU head coach P.J. Fleck. “Chuck Martin can score points. He’s a phenomenal football coach. He’s very bright. He knows how to put his players in advantageous positions to make plays.”

Historic Albion/Olivet rivalry resumes Saturday

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association is the nation’s oldest collegiate conference, and two of the programs that helped kicked things off will battle on the gridiron Saturday when Albion hosts Olivet.

In a series that began in 1884, the Britons have dominated their local rivals by owning a 86-22-5 record over the Comets.

Albion went 2-1 in its first season, defeating Olivet twice (10-5, 10-2) and losing to the University of Michigan, (18-0).

The Comets went 0-2 in 1884 and didn’t win their first game until the program’s third season — in 1891 — beating Albion 30-21. Olivet went on to defeat Michigan State University — then Michigan Agricultural College — in back-to-back games (78-0, 70-0) and lost to Michigan (18-6) before a season-ending defeat to the Britons (24-6).

Last year, Albion won the matchup 42-28 on their way to the MIAA title.

Saturday figures to be an offensive shootout. Albion leads the conference in total offense at 515.1 yards per game, while Olivet ranks third at 456.1 ypg.

The Britons’ Mike Czarnecki is the league’s top running back, rushing for 110.7 yards per game, while Olivet’s Damorria Lilly is right behind him at 105 rushing yards per contest.

At the quarterback position, Olivet’s Braden Black (Harper Creek) is the league’s leader in passing yards per game at 279.6, while Albion’s Dominic Bona is No. 2 with 264.3 passing yards per contest.